EMT loses job for posting picture of murder victim on his Facebook page

[MMiz]

EMT loses job for posting picture of murder victim on his Facebook page

A Staten Island EMT lost his job after snapping a picture of a murder victim and posting the photo on his Facebook page, his former employer said Wednesday.

Mark Musarella, 46, lost his job with Richmond University Medical Center after officials found out about the photo of Caroline Wimmer, who was found strangled to death with a hair dryer cord in March, said spokeswoman Jennifer Sammartino.

Read more!

 

[TransportJockey]

Sounds like a good thing to me

 

[medic417]

Sick jerk. Plus could have compromised police investigation. Should put him in jail.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Moron. If you put on a uniform to serve the public you should have a higher moral standard and more common sense. He violated a trust that the public should have and put another black mark on EMS Professionals. Fire him, take away all certification, fine him, sue him, and maybe even give him a good healthy dose of highway clean up. Jail? Maybe a bit much... but considering what impact his "innocent" actions have, I wouldn't complain too much about having this guy made someones b*tch for a few nights in the joint. ^_^ j/k

 

[AJ Hidell]

"Are you kidding me?" he told the Daily News. "I don't know what you are talking about."

I guess this means it's not going to be as easy as him simply being a man and falling on his sword. And perhaps it wasn't him after all. Although pretty unlikely, he wouldn't be the first person to have someone start a Facebook in his name.

Regardless, this is just further proof that no good comes from even carrying a camera on duty with you. And any agency not specifically prohibiting the practice probably sucks.

 

[CAOX3]

What provider goes to a murder scene and thinks its justifiable to snap off a few pictures?

Oh well one step forward, five steps back.

 

[VentMedic]

I guess everyone here watches the reality PD, ED and EMS shows just for the storylines. I'm sure there have also been quite a few members that have visited websites such as rotten.com or whatever. Who do you think took many of those photos? Just a few years ago it was also very acceptable to snap "cool" scene photos that included patients for the EMS magazines and photo competitions. Very few of those photos were ever discussed for training purposes but rather veiwed as centerfolds for oohing and aahhing over. Even on this forum a photo will occasionally slip by just for the "isn't this so gross and cool" effect.

I don't agree with what he did but I do believe there are some that do go out of their way in real life at a scene or on a web search just to see something "of interest". And, you can also find out about all the great calls in your own neighborhood by just searching up someone's EMT(P) blog. This guy just got caught.

 

[Tincanfireman]

...no good comes from even carrying a camera on duty...

We recently had an incident at my airport that ended up involving the NTSB. Many people had cell phones out, snapping pictures. NTSB stated that if they saw any more pictures being taken, they were going to start confiscating phones for their evidentiary use. No one's phone got taken, but they sure disappeared in a hurry. We do have an agency policy that only crime scene or NTSB can use cameras at a scene, and don't come crying if your phone gets taken if you're seen using your camera/phone.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Yeah, it's not so bad when NTSB takes your film, because they just develop it, make copies for themselves (and you too), and give it right back to you. Been there. Done that. But if they take your phone, that's kinda bad, lol.

 

[Kookaburra]

I guess everyone here watches the reality PD, ED and EMS shows just for the storylines. I'm sure there have also been quite a few members that have visited websites such as rotten.com or whatever. Who do you think took many of those photos? Just a few years ago it was also very acceptable to snap "cool" scene photos that included patients for the EMS magazines and photo competitions. Very few of those photos were ever discussed for training purposes but rather veiwed as centerfolds for oohing and aahhing over. Even on this forum a photo will occasionally slip by just for the "isn't this so gross and cool" effect.

I don't agree with what he did but I do believe there are some that do go out of their way in real life at a scene or on a web search just to see something "of interest". And, you can also find out about all the great calls in your own neighborhood by just searching up someone's EMT(P) blog. This guy just got caught.

Hey, I'll admit that rotten.com is one of my favorite websites, and car crash photos were (a very small) part of what motivated me to get into emergency services.

That being said, I refuse to even touch the cameras we have in our rigs. (I have an art degree, and find drawing diagrams way faster and easier) Someone else can take the risk of their "MOI" pics getting into the wrong hands.

 

[Afflixion]

I'll admit when I first started EMS I took a few shots of MVAs never of the Pt's but the cars and never posted them online. I haven't in years now but in a murder scene thats a whole different story if anyone even brought out a camera or phone the LEOs would pretty much slap your hand away as soon as they saw it where i worked previously... I'm surprised the LEOs didn't for this guy. I don't see a problem with a few pictures if you have the PTs consent...but a dead peron can't give much consent.

 

[WannaBeFlight]

Good riddens... you have to think before you do something that will put your job in jeopardy.:wacko:

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

A Staten Island EMT lost his job after snapping a picture of a murder victim and posting the photo on his Facebook page, his former employer said Wednesday.
Mark Musarella, 46, lost his job with Richmond University Medical Center after officials found out about the photo of Caroline Wimmer, who was found strangled to death with a hair dryer cord in March, said spokeswoman Jennifer Sammartino.
Reached by phone Wednesday night, Musarella refused to discuss his termination.
"Are you kidding me?" he told the Daily News. "I don't know what you are talking about."
Police said Calvin Lawson, 28, killed Wimmer because she told his girlfriend that he was a cheat. Lawson has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon.
Wimmer's parents found her body inside her West Brighton apartment on March 30.


Read more: "EMT loses job for posting picture of murder victim on his Facebook page" - http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/05/14/2009-05-14_emt_loses_job_for_posting_body_facebook.html#ixzz0FtGpM5Pf&A

I can just see him now. "It wasn't me. It was the 'one-armed' man."

 

[VentMedic]

Update

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_...on_facebook_charged_with_official_miscon.html

EMT that posted photo of murdered woman on Facebook charged with official misconduct

BY Dave Goldiner
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 4th 2009, 4:03 PM


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/06/04/2009-06-04_emt_that_posted_photo_of_murdered_woman_on_facebook_charged_with_official_miscon.html#ixzz0HWK9c8QD&D

Musarella, a retired NYPD detective, was fired from his job at Richmond University Medical Center. He faces up to a year in prison.

His lawyer said he was only "following his instincts" in using his cell phone to snap a photo of Wimmer's lifeless body and insisted he never meant to post it.

 

[Seaglass]

He's claiming that they were accidentally uploaded as part of a large batch. While that's possible, I think you're a real idiot if you don't check every photo you put on your Facebook page. And there's no way to know if he's even telling the truth.

 

[bigcountryEMS32]

You just can't fix STUPID and that was STUPID!!!

 

[CAOX3]

Maybe photography is his true calling. Now he will have some free time to pursue that.

 

[MedicObserver]

i know exactly where i stand on this issue. this is totally unacceptable and goes against everything that EMS stands for. while i respect the guy as a fellow EMS worker, he crossed the line when he pulled this load of crap out of the hat. you NEVER take pictures of the patient if you are a responder. the only case that justifies such action is if they are photos to be turned over to the police as evidence, and they should ALWAYS be kept confidential. kudos to the person who fired this joker; we are supposed to be the shining light when someone is ill or in need, and what he did just mars our image in the eyes of the public we serve.